12. Deadly Nightshade: Lifesaving Toxin
Despite its sinister name, this toxic plant produces atropine, a compound that blocks acetylcholine receptors. Eye doctors use it to dilate pupils. Emergency physicians administer it to increase heart rate during cardiac emergencies. Perhaps most critically, atropine serves as an antidote for nerve agent poisoning. Ancient cultures used belladonna cosmetically to dilate women’s pupils, considered beautiful then. Today, medical facilities worldwide stockpile atropine for chemical attack preparedness.